About Us

Philip James is one of Manchester’s largest independent property specialists, managing and selling assets worth over £1.15bn. The business was established in 2001 and has many divisions dedicated to Management, Lettings, Sales and developments, Finance and Block Management.

Philip James is an ambitious and entrepreneurial business who work with investors from all over the world, including the UK, Europe, Middle East and Asia. Our property services drive results, achieve sustainable income and a positive return on investment for all stakeholders.

Why are we successful?

We are owned and run by Directors and Executives Philip Nolan, Rob Kennedy and Rob Cuffe, all of whom are invested in the continued growth and development of our organisation.

Our leadership team are professionals within the property and financial services section. Their skillsets complement each other in order to deliver at exceptionally high standards.

Our Mission Statement:

“To deliver an outstanding service through market-leading expertise whilst helping customers achieve their property and financial goals”.

Our Core Values:

Respect – We treat people with courtesy, politeness and respect the collective power of teamwork.
Entrepreneurial – We encourage creative, flexibility and innovative approaches to work.
Accountability – We take ownership and are accountable for our actions.
Customer Satisfaction – Our employees treat customer satisfaction as a top priority.
Honesty – Our business operates professionally, and is built on trust and integrity.

Philip James Partnership has achieved success through a combination of factors:

  1. Experienced Leadership: The company is led by a team of seasoned professionals, including Philip Nolan, Rob Kennedy, and Rob Cuffe, who bring extensive experience and expertise in the property and financial services sectors.
  2. Customer-Centric Approach: We place a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction, treating it as a top priority. Their mission is to deliver outstanding service and help customers achieve their property and financial goals.
  3. Entrepreneurial Spirit: We encourage creative, flexible, and innovative approaches to work, fostering an entrepreneurial environment that drives growth and success.
  4. Core Values: Respect, accountability, honesty, and teamwork are at the heart of our operations. These values ensure that we operate with integrity and professionalism, building trust with clients and partners.
  5. Comprehensive Services: We offer a wide range of property services, including management, lettings, sales, developments and finance. This diverse portfolio allows us to cater to various client needs and maintain a steady stream of business.
  6. Global Reach: We work with investors from all over the world, including the UK, Europe, Middle East, and Asia. This international presence helps us attract a broad client base and achieve sustainable income.
  7. Long-Standing Relationships: We have built long-standing relationships with clients and partners, which has contributed to our consistent success and reputation in the market.

These factors combined have made Philip James Partnership a market leader in property services in Manchester and beyond.

Introducing the Management Team

Philip Nolan

Philip trained as a chartered accountant in Dublin. His first appointment was as financial director of International Translation and Publishing, an international IT company. He helped expand the company into 15 new countries, increasing turnover to over £20 million before facilitating the sale to an investment house in 1999. At the turn of the millennium, Philip moved into property with the purchase of a Manchester property portfolio. He realised there was an opportunity to create a professional independent estate agency that married traditional values with modern technology. Philip’s personal and corporate integrity means he has always understood the value of his staff and has made this a core foundation for the future growth of Philip James.

Rob Kennedy

Rob’s career in property started over 25 years ago when he joined a large corporate agent and successfully ran the Sale Office, followed by the Timperley and Hale office before coming to the hallowed turf of Didsbury in 1998. Under Rob’s leadership, each officer was transformed into a top performing office.

Rob craved the freedom of his own business to practice his own style of estate agency, forming Philip James Kennedy in 2003 and becoming a shareholder in Philip James Partnership Ltd. Thanks to his experience in Sales and Development the business has gone from strength to strength; building long-standing relationships and remaining a truly independent local estate agent group.

Rob Cuffe

Rob Cuffe is a highly experienced property professional based in Manchester. He has been a pivotal figure in the property market, particularly in Manchester City Centre. Rob joined Philip James Partnership, one of Manchester's leading independent property specialists over 18 years ago, and has been instrumental in its growth and success.

As a Director at Philip James, Rob oversees the companys expansion and operations, ensuring that the business continues to thrive and deliver exceptional service to its clients. His extensive experience and deep understanding of the property market have made him a respected leader in the industry.

Rob is committed to driving results and achieving sustainable income for all stakeholders, while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. Under his leadership, Philip James has become a market leader in both sales and lettings, consistently achieving outstanding results for its clients.

Neil Ryder

Neil Ryder has been a key member of the Philip James team for over 18 years. He began his career with the company as Assistant Manager at the Withington branch, quickly showcasing his leadership skills. In 2010, he took over management of both the Withington and Didsbury lettings branches, driving their growth and success. Today, Neil heads the Property Investments and New Business divisions, where his expertise and strategic vision play a vital role in shaping the company’s future. He also runs the city centre sales department which specialises in buy to let investments. Neil’s dedication to providing tailored client solutions and his deep understanding of the property market are central to the continued success of Philip James.

Trish Atkinson

Trisha joined Philip James Property Management department over 20 years ago after she left University. She worked her way up through the company and has a vast amount of knowledge and understanding in this field of the business and is trained in all specialties of property management. Trisha looks after our inspections team, ensuring we provide high quality reports for our landlords and tenants, she manages a team of contractors who specialise in end of tenancy works, arranging refurbishments for our landlords and ensuring our properties are regularly inspected and kept to a excellent standard. She has contributed to the company’s growth over the years by delivering excellent customer service to all our landlords and tenants and is now managing a department who pride themselves in customer service.

Franca Carbone

Franca’s career in the property sector has covered roles in South Manchester, the City Centre and the Tameside area of Manchester. Franca is a specialist when it comes to the property market in Denton, she has been the Area Manager for over 10 years at Philip James. Franca’s knowledge of the area is second to none as she grew up and went to school in Denton and it is also where she still resides with her own family.

Keir Dawson

Keir joined Philip James in 2020. His career has encompassed management roles in social housing and local government, as well as several years managing the property management team for another major Manchester agent. He is focused on providing excellent customer service for landlords and tenants.

Martin Elliott

Martin brings over 25 years worth of experience in the property sector having managed agents in both Manchester and Stockport. A long standing resident of Heaton Moor, Martin understands the way the local market works and is well known for giving accurate and professional advice to clients considering moving. Martin is an expert in his area and has an intimate knowledge of the different types of Period properties in the Heatons and more modern developments.

Ben Potts

Ben started with Philip James in 2015 after working as Management Accountant for Peel Holdings for a number of years. He brings over 20 years of accounting experience, and now heads up the Finance department. Through his analytical approach and expertise, Ben has brought a number of reporting models into play that help the management team make quick and accurate decisions across all areas of the business.

Chloe Hay

Chloe is a property professional with vast experience in property management, block management, operations and building successful teams. Chloe was appointed in the business in early 2022 and works to assist business growth, ensuring we optimise our strengths to the beneficiary of our clients, and team.

Chloe’s main driving force is continuous improvement and striving for excellence in our services. She advocates for our core company values and is passionate about all aspects property.

James Harden

James joined Philip James in late 2023, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to our already star-studded Property Management team. Having worked in both the Private Rental and Build to Rent sector for many years, James knows how to provide a high level of customer service to landlords and tenants, whilst ensuring the Property Management team drives forward in an ever-changing industry.

Grant Bowden-Smith

Grant has over 10 years’ experience working in the Manchester Lettings Market having worked for both independent and larger estate agents before joining Philip James in March 2024, heading up our Lettings Team. He has gained a lot of expertise and knowledge during his career and has a real passion for customer service, along with his driven attitude to succeed he has become a key part of the company and is excited by the prospect to grow and develop this side of the business.